Bowling pin transfer mechanism



June 9, 1959 R. H. BLACK ET AL 2,890,050

BOWLING PIN TRANSFER MECHANISM Fild May 3, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheevt l 33 f\ d, 73 J6 '12) v 72 32 64 50 I A Q 75 Z5. v C@ 67 65 .il G1" Z4 6g K TTR/VEY Jllne 9; 1959 R. H. BLACK ET AL v 2,890,050

BOWLING PIN TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed May 5, 195s s sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY- June 9, 1959 R. H. `BLACK ET AL 2,890,050

BOWLING PIN TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed May 3. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent. Clice 2,8;90l50 Patented June 9, 1959 2,890,050 BOWLING PIN TRANSFER IMECHANISM.

Robert'H. Black, .Losa Angeles, John Ross; Palos1Ver` des, GeraldH. Snodderly,I Hawthorne, Steve C. Juran;

LosjAngeles, and:1 Frank C.- Drohman,v Hawthorne,

Calif., assigner-s of' sixtyth`ree percent to saitllack,

twenty-one percent to snid'RosS,-,eight percent to said Snodderly, four percent tosaid Juran,.anl four percent to said Drohman This invention relates to a mechanism-for transferring bowling pins from an elevator thatraises them, one. at a time, from the pit into whichthe same. fall after. being struck by a ball, to a heador frame from which said pins aremre-spotted into a bowling alley. K

Thegeneral organization ofV alley, pit, pinV elevator and pin-holding frame is shownV in our pending applica.- tion entitled Pin Handling Mechanism, SerialY No. 555,621, filed December 27 1955,.thepresentmechanism beingan improvement of the transfer mechanismbetween the elevator and pin-holding frame there shown.

A11 object ofthe present invention is to provide a simplified and improved mechanism that controls the succession of` movement of tenbowling. pins-the capacity of apin-holding--frame Since the frame in question receives tenv pins moving along four different-paths, first four, then three, then" two, and, finally, one,` the mechanism herein contemplated provides for a change of pathof such movement when the proper number of pins has been moved along each successive path. It is another objectl of the inventionto provide improved shift means, that is under control? of the pins as they move toward the pin-holding frame; to properly direct 4the pins in` the four paths provided.

Inasmuchas the pins are all receivedvby the mentioned frame butt endfirst and, since the elevatorl may raise thern to transferring position withv the butt leading or trailing',l a further object ot the invention is= to provide simple and improved means to insure that all the pins moving alongsaid paths kare butt first.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means thatare positive in operation,A convenient inuse,

easily installed in awor-king position andeasily d-isconnested therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority andserviceabilfity.

The invention alsocomprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements" of parts, which will more fully appear in the course' of the lfollowing description.Y However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes,- one ernbodiment of [the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

YA11n the drawings, like reference characters designate,-

similar part-s in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a top plan View partly in horizontal section, of a bowling pin transfer mechanism according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational View thereof, partly in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged and fragmentary plan View vof the right hand `portion of Fig. 1.

Fig; 4 is -a rear elevational View shown in Fig; 3. Fig. `5is a vertical lsectional view, as taken on line 5- 5 of Fig. 4. v

Fig. -6 is a vertical 'sectional view on the `plane of the same lineroi section and showing the left hand contnuation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

.spot positions. vtrarne 11, the next two pins move along a third path to The drawings illustrate a support frame 9 in which is mounted a pin elevator` 10` and a pin-receiving and holding frame 11, said'elevator 10 and frame 11Y being separated andthe space therebetween being occupied, in part, ,by the present pin-transferring means 12, a portion of the latter means being carried by and coincidental 'with the elevator.

The elevator 10, in this instance, raises bowlingpins 13 from the pit-of a bowlingvalleyv to a. horizontaLposi# tion as shown in Figs. 3 -andl5, being transported by a chain 14, provided with pin litters 15, and a supporting belt or web 16.- Said belt` andchain are eachendless andy define between. thema pin-accormnodatingspace 17 (Fig. 4) which, at the top-ofthe. conveyoncomprises a space. 18.(Fig. 5) in-whichpins 153` are in horizontal posi? tion, as show-n, as they move inthe direction of arrQW 1-9. In such horizontal` position ofv Figs. 3v and4 5, the pins 13 areeither butt end. rst, as in Fig. 3., or neck end first, as-in. Fig., 5.-

It.will be seen. that the web 16 is supported` on` a floorA plate 20 so. asto give the pinsa proper support;` from which they. are/displacedv intothe transferring means 12. In a somewhat similar manner, the chain 14. issupported above the floor plate 204 by. a support 21. toobviate sag oflsaidchain, as. it passes over. and. definesthe space 1-8. Theweb 16 istrained over rollers-22 at the'ends of plate 20. and the chain.1.4,is trained. over sprocket wheels 23 at the, ends of support 21.

The foregoing describes those details. of. the pin, elevator that. have relationship to the present pin-transfer means..

The frame 11 is shown as av triangular enclosure 24 of eqnilateral form and. carried by the frame 9- above the pinfspotting end of the alley 25. They dotted circles 26 H suggest the positions of the yten spotsl for pins, it being the purpose of frame 11 to hold a complement of ten pins in register with such spots. One suchy pin is shown in: such registered position, and: achieved the same by sliding4 onto chute 2,7 and, whenreaching the spotting position, up-ending said chute on its pivot 28:.

It will be evident from the foregoingl that chute 27 is oneA of`a complement of four similar and aligned chutes and that a pin 13v will move along the path provided by said chutes to the-number one spot position. Then, since theehuten at said position becomes 11p-ended, the next pin is' intercepted by said up-ended chute and moves only lto the. number three position. This is repeated untill the number six and the number ten spots have pins vertically aligned thereabove and held. in trame 11.

The present transfer mechanism 12 is designed to. pass four successive pins to the one, three, six and ten spotaligned positions and then to change the path of the next three pins moving toward frame 11 so that they will become successively spot-aligned with the two, five and nine After these three pins have been fed to the four and eight spot positions. Finally, after the last two pins have been so fed, the tenth pin moves to the number seven. spot position.

The frame 1.1, per se, foims no part of this invention, nor does the means for depositing the pins therein upon 4the alley 25. Said yframe 11 is here disclosed as a preferred pin-receiving device in relation to which it is required to move a complement of ten pins in different paths so as to achieve proper spotting positions in such frame.

rEhe pin transfer means 12 that is illustrated comprises, Igenerally, a combined pin-releasing and -dislodging means 29, means 30, in the path of descent of the pins as the same yare being dislodged, to receive the pins butt end first, a `continuously traveling web or belt 31 to intercept the pins and move the same, butt end first, toward the frame 11, an angle-adjustable guide chute 32, a complement of fixed guide chutes 33 into which the adjustable chute guides pins, according to the adjusted position of the latter, means 34, controlled fby pins moving in the. fixed -guide chutes to change the adjusted position of the chute 32, and means 35, controlled by a pin moving in the last of the xed guide chutes to render the means 29 inoperative to dislodge pins from space 18 until the frame 11 is again ready to receive pins.

The pin-releasing and -dislodging means 29 is controlled by the chain 14 which is continuously moving in the direction of arrow 19, as before indicated. Said means comprises a pin-dislodging slide 36 that is guided in a horizontal slideway 37 xedly carried by the frame 9. Slide 36 is provided with two horizontal pin pushers 38 that are movable between retracted position, outside of space 18, and projected position, within said space, as shown in Fig, 5. It will be clear that a pin 13 in said space will be in the path of movement of said pushers and that the one aligned with the butt of the pin will push against said butt while the pusher aligned with the neck of the pin will pass thereover. Consequenty, when the slide 36 is projected toward the left, as in Fig. l, a pin in the space 18 will be dislodged, butt end first, from the web 16. An apertured wall 39 guides the pins 13 to a centered position in space 18.

The opposite side of space 18 is normally closed by a plate 40 that is carried by arms 41 from a transverse pivot 42. The slide 36 and said arms 41 are provided with intercooperating means for holding said plate 40 in space-enclosing position when the slide is retracted, and in open pin-releasing position when the slide is projected. To this end, the slide 36 carries a forwardly extending bar 43 which, at its forward end, is formed with opposed spaced abutments 44 and 45 that, between them, define a space 46. The arms 41 are connected by a cross bar 47 on which is aixed a depending rigid lug 48. The space between abutments 44 and 45 is such as to accommodate lug 48 and to allow the same to withdraw from saidV space as the plate 40 moves from closed to open position.

The dot-dash lines of Fig. show the retracted position of slide 36 and the closed position of plate 40. Since lug 48 resides in space 46, the abutment 45 retains the same against retractive rotation, thereby locking said plate 40 in space-closing position. When the slide 36 is projected to dislodge a pin, the abutment 44 rotates lug 48 in a clockwise direction, as in Fig. 5, similarly swinging plate 40 so that the same assumes the raised or open full-line position of Fig. 5, providing clearance for a pin to fall out of space 18. This open position is retained by engagcment of lug 48 with the bar 43 and it will be realized that plate 40 starts to open upon initial movement of slide 36 and that the latter may complete its full movement after plate 40 has been fully raised. A resilient stop 49 serves to limit the opening movement of plate 40 and also to reduce the noise of motion-limiting contact. The ultimate stop for said plate is provided by the plates 50, on frame member 51, said latter plates engaging extensions 52 of arms 41. Said extensions are connected by a cross bar 53. Thus, the plate 40 is part of a swinging frame mounted on pivot 42 and controlled by slide 36. Said frame is positively moved to open position and falls gravitationally to closed position, although springs may lbe used for the latter movement, if desired.

The means 29 further includes means to project and retract slide 36 and is here shown as a pair of opposed solenoids 54 and 55, having their armatures connected by a bar 56, and-mounted on a bracket 57 on one frame member 51. A first class lever 58, on a pivot 58a, connects said bar 56 and the slide extension 43 so as to project the slide when solenoid 55 is energized and retract the same when solenoid 54 is energized.

Energization of said solenoids is controlled by a switch 59 that is provided with a switch actuator 60 that has a normal position closing the circuit between the switch and solenoid 54. Thus the slide 36 is normally retracted to the position of Fig. 3 so that a lifter 15 on chain 14 may propel a pin 13 into space 18.

The chain 14 is used to move actuator 61) to connect said switch and the solenoid 55 to cause projection of slide 36 and dislodgment of a pin by pushers 38'. To this end, said chain is provided with projections 61 that are arranged in such relation to the litters 15 that they will actuate switch actuator 60 at the proper time to cause such pin dislodgment. Instead of projections 61 directly engaging the switch actuator, the same first acts upon a member 62 to lift the same and said member, in turn, moves the actuator 60. In practice, the projections 61 engage a wear plate 62a on the under face of member 62. Thus, only when such plate 62a is in the path of the pins 61 will the latter lift member 62 and actuate the switch to ycause slide projection. Should member 62 be shifted to the dot-dash line position of Fig. 3, the wear plate will be moved out of operating alignment with pins 61. Consequently, the switch will remain in condition to hold solenoid 54 energized and the slide 36 retracted, the projections 61 merely moving by witho-ut touching member 62.. The latter may be guided in a fguide bracket 63 relative to the bottom of which the projections 61 lift the same.

The means 30 is shown as a pair o-f horizontal and divergent bars 64 upon which the pinsy 13 fall as `they are being dislodged. Since the pins fall butt first, the same readily assume a butt rst position between the divergent walls 65 of which the bars 64 define the top edges. At the rear, said walls 65 are connected by a wall 66 which serves as insurance against rearward egress of a falling pin.

The web or belt 31 has its upper run 67 disposed at a forwardly upward slope so as to move pins thereon in a direction toward frame 11. Said web is trained over a pair of wide rollers 68 and said rollers, by suitable gearing and drive 69, are operated by a motor 79 to move said run in the manner indicated.

The guide chute 32 is shown as a pair of walls 71 that are connected by pivots 72 to a slide 73 on a slide bar 74 which extends transversely across the frame 9 forward of the bars 64 and the walls 65. Each wall 71 carries a slide pin 75 that is Iguided in rotational guides 76, that are carried yby brackets 77 from the forward ends of said walls 65.

Slide 73 moves inl a transverse path across the open end of the means 30. Consequently, the walls 71 move angularly on the pivots 72 while the slide pins 75 both pivot and move telescopically in the guides 76. Therefore, the path defined between said walls 71 defines a chute for the bowling pins which has an angular disposition according to the transversely adjusted position of slide 73. Thus, bowling pins are directed, accordingly, as they leave the means 30. 1

The xed guide chutes 33 are selectively fed by chute 32 according to the adjusted position of the latter. Each chute 33 is defined by a pair of xed walls 78 carried by the frame 9 and the chutes of said complement of fixed chutes are respectively directed to guide pins into the frame 11 to the four paths therein, as hereinbefore indicated.

The means 34 is controlled by pins on web 31V and moving inrone or the other of the rst three of the four chutes forming the complement 33. The means 34 is shown as a transverse shaft 79 mounted on frame 9, preferably above and forward of slide bar 74, a toothed or notched wheel 80 affixed to said shaft 79, one for each VVof said lirst three xed chutes, a dog 81 operatively associ-ated with each said wheel 80 and mounted in a guide 82, a plate 83 `connected to each respective dog 81 and gravitationally disposed to be in the path of the thicker or butt end of a pin 13 and to be lifted by such pin as the same moves toward vthe frame 11, and a control plate84 connected to shaft 79, one for each wheel 80. 'v

It will be understood thateach time aIplate-SS is lifted, Jthe do'g'il associated therewith ita'testh'feigagd wheel $0 of a rotation. After heihghte'd, theplate dp's back, reti-acting its dog 11. Thus, the. shft79'li`as intermittent feed, being givehffiir such fe'dig iriv'ements by the Ypins movin-g -infth'e iirst'hit'e 33, three by pins moving in the'serid ehote, and tiil'lo'byV pis movin-g inthe third chute. A n v l The slide 73 lis bisd-by'spiiigBB ina" 'ifectiol t'o ngilarly adjust chiite 32 from the chute 33 tothe second, etc. Such adjustment 'is' restrained by engagement of extension 86 with the three control plates 84, successively. Each said plate li's provided `vi/it'h a lnotch 87 and said notches ae'sori'e'itel relatively that vfour ine'r'ethhts er feed di the iir'stjpla l Sii will briiigrits notch iitor'egister with extehsi '86. fl'hiis, the rst tlr'ee pins 'moving in th ir's't chut 33` "ll gdvahfcethe notch of the rst plate 84 toward 'ext'e ii Se, and the fourth pin will bring said `notch into vregister with said4 extension so 'thatfspri'n'g v85 becomesflective to shift slide 73 iitil arrested by engagement er said/extension with the hefxt -co'n'trbl'plate dit` on shaft 79. Three pins'mcf/i'rigv in the seeded chute s3 will dviice'the second plate s4j'so that its 'ntch 87 willfmoy'e into "reg'is'ter with extension 8,6, thereby allowing -shift as before under bias 'of spring 8S to 'bring s'ai'd extension into "engagement with the third control plate S4. Finally, two pins in the third chute 33 will release the slide 73 to be pulled by spring 85 against stop 3S. y

The notches 87 of the plates 84 may be so oriented relatively that movement of the notch'of the rst plate to slide-releasing position under cont-rol of four consecutive pins brings the notch in the second plate in position to be moved by threey pins to slidelreleasing position. Movement ofthe notch of said second plate to slidelreleasing position brings the notch inthe third plate in position to be moved by two pins to slide-releasing position. Since all of said plates are axed to shaft 79and, therefore, rotate together under control of any of the nine pins moving in chutes 33,i when the notchof the third plate 84 has moved to slide-releasing position, the notch of the first plate will be so angularly oriented that four pins moving in the rst chute will bring the latter notch again in release position. The cycle then repeats as above.

It will be clear from the foregoing that the chute 32 becomes angularly adjusted to ll the frame 11 in the manner before described, since the A-tenth pin will move into said frame when the slide is in its last-mentioned position.

Said last pin operates the means 35 which is here shown as 'a paddle 89 on a pivot 90 and so disposed as to be swung by an oncoming pin to cause an ann 91, on the same pivot, to cause rearward shifting of member 62. It is this movement of member 62 that moves its wear plate 62a out of the path of projections 6l. Thus, after the frame is lled with ten pins, the means 29 ceases to operate and any pins 13 in elevator 1t) wil-l move around with the chain 14 until such time that the member 62 will be re-shifted to its operative position.

In order to restore the slide 73 to its vin'itial position for relling frame 1l, it is necessary to effect retraction of said slide against the pull of spring 85, the projection 86 merely .folding on a pivot provided so as to move back past control plates 84. Also, after such restoration of the slide and chute 32 to starting position, member 62 must be retracted so that the same institutes operation of the means 29 and feed of pins from the elevator. Such means is not here shown, but may be readily effected by the vertical movement of any pin-spotting means associated with frame 11 and which places the pins in said frame upon the alley therebeneath. Such movement, by suitable levers, links, etc. may be connected to said slide 73 land to said member 62. In any case, the means herein disclosed functions to ll frame 11 with pins raised by tiitiqh feriiiiiig he part of this inveiit'i.

While' the foregoing has illustrated described isw contemplated to be the best mode of carryigilt ur invention, the construction is, ofcourse, 'subject to modification without departing from the spirit and yscope df the'inv'ention. vIt is, therefore, not desired to restrict tlieihventieii te the particular ferm of cohstrctioii illestrated and described, but to cover I'all modifications that may 'fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thu's'd'escribed our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent iszV 1. A mechanism for transferring bowling -pins from an elevator tov aI frame from which the pins are spotted on a lbowling alley, said mechanism comprising miiiis to' dislodge pins successively from the elevator, means controlled by the elevator to operate the pin-'dislodgig means, means carried by the pin-'dislodging r`ne`a1i`s`V to engage and `turn the pins to a 'butt lirst position, a ksingle first 'chute beneath the pin-dislo'dging irrearis Vto' receive pins', 'butt first, as the same are dislodged, a continuously travelling belt upon which the pins are receivedA as the same' enter said first chute, said =be1t moving' the 'pins successively out of said chute, an angle-'adjustable' vguide chute into which saidpins are moved `by the rb'elt, a set of four fixed chutes arranged inline and in diverging relation one with the other to guide pins ori said belt along four different paths, and means controlled by pins moving in the diverging chutes lto change the adjusted angled position of the guide chute, the means' in one' diverging vchute requiring successive actuation b`y four pins received lfrom the guide chute to change the position of the latter chute te guide pins t the heizt diverging chute in the line, the means 'in said V'next diver'ging chute requiring successive actuation by three pins received from the guide chute to change the Vpositi'o'n of the latter chute to guide pins to the third diverging chute in the line, the means in said third chute requiring successive actuation by two pins received from the guide chute to change the position of the latter chute to guide pins to the fourth chute in the line.

2. A mechanism for transferring bowling pins from an elevator to a frame from which the pins are spotted on a bowling alley, said mechanism comprising means to dislodge pins successively from the elevator, means controlled :by the elevator to operate the pin-dislodging means, means carried by the pin-dislodging means to engage and turn the pins to a butt first position, a continuously-moving web receptive of the pins to convey them, butt first, in a direction toward the mentioned frame, a fixed chute into which the pins are dislodged, an angularly-adjustable chute through which the pins move after leaving the fixed chute, and means controlled by the pins to angularly adjust the adjustable chute to move the pins along four different angular paths toward said frame, said latter means comprising four aligned and diverging chutes along said four different paths, and means controlled by pins moving in the diverging chutes to change the adjusted angled position of the guide chute, the means in one diverging chute requiring successive actuation 'by four pins received from the guide chute to change the position of the latter chute to guide pins to the next diverging chute in the line, the means in said next diverging chute requiring successive actuation by three pins received from the guide chute to change the position of the latter chute to guide pins to the third diverging chute in the line, the means in said third chute requiring successive actuation lby two pins received from the guide chute to change the position of the latter chute to guide pins to the fourth chute in the line.

3. A mechanism for transferring bowling pins from an elevator to a frame from which the pins are spotted on a lbowling alley, said mechanism comprising means to dislodge pins successively from the elevator, means connaandoen 4trolled by the elevator to operate the pin-dislodging means,

means carried by the pin-dislodging means to engage and turn the pins to a butt rst position, a continuously-moving web receptive of the pins to convey them, butt first, in a direction toward the mentioned frame, an angularlyadjustable chute through which the pins move, a set of four fixed diverging chutes defining four divergent paths, toward the frame, and means controlled by pins moving in the diverging chutes to change the adjusted angled position of the guide chute, the means in one diverging chute requiring successive actuation by four pins received hom the guide chute to change the position of the latter chute to guide pins to the next diverging chute in the line, the means in said next diverging chute requiring successive actuation by three pins received from the guide chute to change the position of the latter chute to guide pins to the third diverging chute in the line, the means in said third chute requiring successive actuation by two pins received from the guide chute to change the position of the latter chute to guide pins to the fourth chute in the line.

4. A mechanism according to claim 3, means controlled by a pin moving in the fourth diverging chute to render the pin-dislodging means inoperative.

5. A mechanism for transferring bowling pins from an elevator to a frame from which the pins are spotted on a bowling alley, said mechanism comprising a station to which the pins are moved by the elevator in longitudinal disposition with respect to the movement of travel of the elevator, a station-enclosing plate, a pin-ejecting member spaced from said plate a distance to allow a pin to be disposed therebetween, means to simultaneously move said plate from enclosing position and move the ejecting member to dislodge a pin from said station through the space vacated by said plate, means to turn the pin, butt iirst, during such dislodgement, and means receptive to said pin to convey lthe same, butt iirst, to the mentioned frame, the pin-turning means comprising spaced pushers on the pin-ejecting member directed toward longitudinally-spaced butt and neck portions of a pin at said station and moving together, said pushers being disposed so that the pusher directed toward the butt or large portion of the pin will encounter and move the same while the pusher directed toward the neck or smaller portion of the pen Will pass thereover.

6. A mechanism according to claim 5, said plate-- moving and ejecting member-moving means comprising a slide, and electrical means including a switch therefor controlled by the elevator to control the operation of said slide.

7. A mechanism according to claim 5, said platemoving and ejecting member-moving means comprising a slide, solenoid means connected to operate the slide to retract and project the same, and electrical means including a switch therefor controlled by the elevator to control operation of the solenoid means.

8. A mechanism according to claim 5, said platemoving and ejecting member-moving means comprising a slide, solenoid means connected to operate the slide to retract and project the same, and electrical means including a switch therefor controlled by the elevator to control operation of the solenoid means, and means controlled by a pin dislodged from the station and approaching the mentioned frame to render the last-mentioned means inoperative.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

